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The National Youth Authority (NYA) is conducting a baseline study on the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 on Ghanaian youth in order to inform government's decision.

The study is focusing on job losses, how the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected their health and other basic needs.

The NYA is using the various social media platforms and websites to collect information from the youth.

Mr Sylvester Matthew Tetteh, the Chief Executive Officer(CEO)of the NYA, announced this at a media briefing on COVID-19 case management situation updates in Accra, on Thursday.

The CEO of the NYA said it had presented 70,000 worth of Personal Protective Equipment to the Ghana Health Service (GHS)to support the fight against COVID-19.

In addition, it had trained and deployed 2,000 youth volunteers to the rural areas to support the public education campaign on dangers posed by the virus and drum home the need to observe the safety and hygiene protocols.

In that regard, the NYA provided 500 megaphones to the volunteers to facilitate the COVID-19 education campaign, which is conducted in different local languages.

Mr Tetteh, therefore, urged the youth to continue observing the safety and hygiene protocols, comply with the two metre social distancing, wash their hands with soap under running water, avoid handshakes, covering of mouth when coughing and sneezing, frequently use alcohol-based hand sanitizers and stay at home.

Ghana's case count for COVID-19 now stands at 641, with eight deaths and 83 fully recovered, as at April 16 at 0753 hours after 50,719 sample tests.

All the measures and interventions government put in place are hinged on five strategic objectives:Limit and stop the importation of the virus, detect and contain the spread of the virus, enhance contact tracing and testing of the virus, care for the sick, minimizing the impact on economic and social lives and boosting domestic capability and deepen self-reliance.